Merritt (Brian Wiebe BCHL Network /Merritt Centennials) – Hockey heartbreak and a financial reality.
The British Columbia Hockey League’s longest-continuously run franchise is no longer the Merritt Centennials. After 51 seasons in the BCHL’s smallest market, the Centennials declared they would not operate in the league during the 2024-25 season.
In a media release, Centennials President Ken Carruthers noted that the team’s board of directors didn’t see a financial path forward in the BCHL.
“The Board members past and present have worked extremely hard to maintain 51 continuous years of operation in the BCHL but have finally conceded that continuing into the future is no longer viable,” the release stated. “We cannot adequately express the gratitude owed to our community, sponsors, business partners, billets, volunteers, fans, staff, current players, and alumni. We have come to the end of our final regular season.”
